A Werewolf's Sacrifice

Episode 7

I was in the foulest of moods today when I should’ve been jumping for joy. I had passed the last of my finals, been notified that I had received full funding for my studies under Elder Atim, and was graduating in less than two hours at the top of my class even though many of my peers had tried to surpass my scores. I should’ve been elated and proud of myself. Instead, all I could think about was that Varick wouldn’t be there covered in a gown of the most vibrant red beside me, tossing his own cap into their air to celebrate this achievement.

Even after all this time, I still missed my best friend. I knew that if we could just see each other or talk to each other, all the years would fade away and it would be like we were never apart.

“Congratulations, Odelle!” People exclaimed at me as I pushed through our front door, dumping my bags on the floor in the entryway. Only my mother with her constant love and support could convince all my acquaintances from school to be so publicly exuberant at once.

I chuckled, shaking my head as I looked around our small living room that was decked with flowers and tasty treats, which I had actually baked myself the night before. There was no way my mother could keep something like this a secret from me. She couldn’t even keep the secret behind the story of the god Nicholas who visited homes on Yule night to deliver presents to children from me when I was a very small child. My peers still wouldn’t let me live it down that I had revealed to them all that the god was merely a nice elderly man named Nick who visited the poor during the festivities and had died hundreds of years ago and it was really our parents who gave us the gifts nowadays.

I smiled despite my mood and did my rounds around the room giving hugs. Many of my peers left their arms hanging awkwardly by their sides, but a few of them, including Lottie, hugged me back fiercely. Although, when I hugged Lottie, I found that there was only one set of arms I truly wanted around me.

I quickly inhaled a few of the small cakes and went to my room to get changed into the required graduation gown, running my fingers through my loose curls in an attempt to make my hair look more controlled in the humidity.

“Thank the gods the ceremony is inside.” I joked sarcastically as my friends and I left for the schoolhouse with my mother following behind.

When we got there, I was astounded by the transformation of the little wooden structure. The lawn had been cut and the little path to its door was lit with luminaries. The trees were trimmed and lined with the ribbons our graduating class had written our goals on earlier in the week.

It seemed like the whole town had come out to celebrate us tonight, though everyone was quiet and respectful of the importance of the event.

I couldn’t have stopped my heart from lightening even if I had tried. I knew this was a moment to cherish and that my life would never be the same again. Smiling to my mother, I led the way to an open area in the gathered crowd.